Cigarettes usually enter people’s lives in their youth, often to ‘feel in’ with friends who are already consumers. However, according to a UK study, smokers can become more socially isolated and lonely than non-smokers, especially as they age.
In the study published in The Lancet Regional Health Europe, researchers found that over time, people who smoked saw social contact decrease, becoming less socially engaged and more lonely, compared to non-smokers.
E-cigarettes increase risk of impotence in men, study says
“Our research suggests that smoking is bad for aspects of psychological and social health, in addition to the well-established physical impacts of smoking. Some people think that smoking is a social activity, but our study did not support this idea. Smokers actually became more socially isolated and lonely over time than non-smokers.
In the study, scientists used the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA) database, which is made up of 8,780 people aged 50 and over who live in England. Participants’ social isolation and loneliness were assessed over 12 years – at intervals of four, eight and 12 years.
The researchers found that, at baseline, smokers were more likely to be lonely and socially isolated than nonsmokers, having less frequent social interactions with family and friends, less frequent involvement in community and cultural activities, and being more likely to live alone.
Smoking was also associated with a greater reduction in social contact, an increase in social disengagement and loneliness over time, reveals Imperial College.
As the research is observational, the cause for this association cannot be determined, but the authors speculate that it could be due to a number of factors, including: smokers are at an increased risk of developing shortness of breath and other physical health problems, the that limits the ability to socialize; smoking is associated with an increased risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression; and friends of those who smoke are more prone to smoking and therefore may die prematurely.
know more
+ SP: Man dies standing, leaning against car, and scene scares residents on the coast
+ One twin became vegan, the other ate meat. Check the result
+ Reincarnation in history: an age-old belief
+ Andressa Urach asks for money on the internet: ‘Help me pay my card bill’
+ Horoscope: check today’s forecast for your sign
+ CNH: see what you need to know for the application and renewal
+ See which were the most stolen cars in SP in 2021
+ Expedition identifies giant squid responsible for ship sinking in 2011
+ Everything you need to know before buying a crockpot
+ US Agency warns: never wash raw chicken meat
+ What is known about fluorone?
+ Trick to squeeze lemons becomes a craze on social media
+ IPVA 2022 SP: see how to consult and pay the tax
#Study #smoking #sociable